Why is it always Carter?
by ArtGirl
Summary: Just when Carter thought he had his life back on track and everything was going okay, something happens to stir it up again. It's a good thing he has close friends to help him through it.


Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me. They all belong to people who are much more creative and imaginative then I am, I only borrowed them for a short while.  
  
Carter felt like he hadn't slept in forever. He was so tired; he had been on for around 21 hours and hadn't slept at all. The ER had been so busy that everyone who was working had been kept on his or her toes.  
  
It was just then starting to calm down and he was very, very grateful when Kerry told him to find an exam room and sleep for a couple of hours. It sounded like heaven to his sleep-deprived mind. This was the first time he had been on since his week off after the lockdown and he had become accustomed to sleeping at least six or seven hours a night.  
  
He went into exam two and laid down on a gurney. His back had been acting up again and it had progressed from a dull ache that morning to a searing pain when he moved it the wrong way.  
  
Carter moved his hands up and ran them through his hair before he reached over and turned off the light. Then he laid back and tried his best to relax as he drifted off into a restless sleep.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Kerry Weaver made her way to the admit desk from trauma one. It had been a very hectic day, from what she had heard, and it was turning into a hectic night. She had only been on for a few hours, but she could already feel the exhaustion even though she had arrived there at 8 pm and it was only then 1 am. She had come in during a multi-victim trauma and hadn't sat down since, so she guessed that to be the reason for her premature fatigue.  
  
Kerry sat down near the desk and placed her charts in a pile in front of her. Jerry was next to her, playing on the computer and eating a sandwich. Abby was also nearby, looking through some charts and Luka was examining the board.  
  
Kerry turned to face the small group of the ER staff and cleared her throat to catch their attention as she had done many times in the past.  
  
When everyone was facing her, Kerry announced in an official tone, "Listen, I just sent Carter into exam two to get some rest. I heard he has been on for quite awhile and he looks awful. Nobody bother him for at least a couple of hours."  
  
A course of "yeahs" and "sures" came from the group, along with several concerned looks, and then they all turned back to what they were doing. Satisfied that Carter wouldn't be bothered, at least for a little while, Kerry sat down and began to review her charts. She had only been at it for a few minutes when Haleh came out of curtain area 3 and walked over to her.  
  
"Have you seen Dr. Carter? I have a woman in curtain area 3 who insists she won't see anyone except him," Haleh explained as she leaned on the desk in front of Kerry.  
  
"I just sent him to exam two to get some sleep," Kerry replied as she stood up, "but I'll take care of it for you."  
  
"Is he okay?" Haleh asked with concern.  
  
"Yeah, he'll be fine. He just looked a little rough and I heard he'd been here for about 21 hours and hadn't slept once. I thought I should make him lay down before he got hurt."  
  
"Good idea, he tends to push himself too hard. We'll let him get some rest, and I'll help you take care of that patient for him."  
  
Haleh led Kerry away from the admit area and into curtain area 3 where they began to persuade the distraught woman that someone besides Carter was perfectly able to provide the care she needed.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Abby was restocking the crash carts when Susan Lewis approached her.  
  
"Hey, Abby," I just got here and I was wondering if you'd seen Carter. I heard he was on today and I need to talk to him about something."  
  
"Um, yeah, but Weaver sent him to an exam room to get some sleep. He's been on for 21 hours and hasn't sat down. I'm getting worried about him."  
  
"Is he okay?"  
  
"Well, he claims to e, but I think his back is bothering him again. While we were locked in quarantine together last week I could tell, even though he tried to hide it. Today is the first time I've talked to him in person since then, and it has obviously gotten worse because he's having a harder time hiding it."  
  
"I hope he's okay. I know he can't take any pain medication, but I wish there was something we could do to alleviate his pain."  
  
"Yeah, me too. I really can't stand to see him like that, especially since he won't say anything." "You must really care for him," Susan subtly stated, gradually changing the subject to the possibilities of an Abby and Carter relationship.  
  
"Yeah, I do."  
  
"So, how's it going with you guys?"  
  
Abby smiled and looked down as she tucked her hair behind her ears and shook her head in a "yes" motion, "It's going good. Really good. We had dinner after the lockdown, but we only talked over the phone until today. We were both off last week, but I think we just opted to catch up on sleep."  
  
"So is anything official?"  
  
"Well, not quite yet. We haven't really talked about it, but we're going to take it slow and see where it goes."  
  
"That's nice. I'm glad to see you guys are finally getting together after all of those circles you ran around each other! He really cares about you, I know it'll work out."  
  
"Thank you, Susan," Abby smiled sweetly as she replied. She was glad Susan was taking her and Carter's relationship so well. Abby just wished Luka would see it in the same light.  
  
Abby looked toward exam two where Carter lay sleeping, just as Luka came running toward her and Susan from the admit desk.  
  
"Abby, Susan, we have a multiple victim MVA coming in and I need you both to help," Luka said as he whisked passed them while pulling on a gown.  
  
Abby and Susan glanced at each other with one last small smile and then took off to follow Luka to the incoming trauma.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
In exam room two, Carter tossed and turned in his sleep. His face scrunched up in pain and he flailed his arms around him as he mumbled.  
  
"No!. . . No!. . . Please don't!"  
  
Carter turned onto his side and then quickly rolled back onto his back as he reached out his hand and hissed in pain.  
  
"Not Lucy! No! Please not Lucy!"  
  
Suddenly Carter bolted upright in the bed, a cold sweat shining on his forehead, and obvious pain on his face. His nightmares had ceased for a long time. This was his first one in months and he wondered what could have possibly provoked it, especially when his life was finally going pretty good.  
  
Carter rubbed his hands over his face and then through his hair as he threw his legs over the side of the gurney and sat up. As he proceeded to stand a sharp blow to the head stopped him abruptly and he fell to the floor in a heap of pain. He felt more and more pain as something continued to hit him all over his body while he laid helpless on the floor, until everything went black.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Haleh and Kerry had finally dealt with the uncooperative woman who only wanted to see Carter, but they had missed helping out with an MVA that came in while they were with her.  
  
Haleh was on her way to the admit desk when she started to pass exam two, where Carter was supposed to be sleeping. She stopped and turned toward the door when she heard muffled sounds of thumps coming from inside.  
  
"Dr. Carter! Dr. Carter, are you okay?" Haleh called as she knocked on the door several times.  
  
Upon receiving no reply, Haleh pushed the door open only to be greeted with a bloody Carter sprawled out on the floor and his attacker standing maliciously over him.  
  
Haleh froze in her tracks for a brief second before shouting, "SECURITY! I need security in here and a gurney! NOW!"  
  
She hadn't taken her eyes off of Carter, but the glint of something in the attacker's hand caught Haleh's attention and made her look up. He had a gun, and it was pointed straight at Carter.  
  
"I'll shoot! I will! If you take one more step, I'll shoot him and I'll make sure he dies!" the attacker, who still had his back to Haleh, screamed madly.  
  
Haleh was once again frozen in shock and fear as the guy squeezed his hand and pulled the trigger, just as Malik tackled him and knocked him to the ground. 


End file.
